Ejector mechanism



Feb. 22, 1955 J. K. BRUCE EJECTOR MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l My 6 g 3 iii INVEN TOR, JOHA/K sxrucs BY 2M 5M A TTOPIVE Y FIG2 Feb. 22, 1955 J. K. BRUCE 2,702,644

EJECTOR MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. JOhA/A. sgucz:

A TTOPA/EY United States Patent EJECTOR MECHANISM John KJ'Bruce, South Pasadena, Calif assignor to Bruce Engineering orporation, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation'o'f California Application August 25, 1951, Serial No. 243,692

-8 Claims. .(Cl. 214309) This invention 'relates to materials handling equipment and more specifically to improvements in apparatusfor removing containers from cartons.

In many industries in which products are containerpacked, empty containers are received from the manufacturer in cartons with side and end cover flaps unsealed. Each cartongenerally holds a plurality of containers, two dozen being a common number. Before these containers can be filled, sealed, labeled, etc. It is necessary that they be removed from the carton and :disposed on conveyor lines for transport to the various packing operations. 'In co-pending Unted States patent application, Serial No. 153,724, filed April 3, 1950 by John K. 'Bruce and Thomas H. Davis, apparatus for automatically and continuously removing containers from shipping cartons was described and illustrated. This apparatus successfully obviates manual removal of empty containers from cartons, as heretofore generally practiced, and is capable of handling a throughput in excess of '30 cartons per minute.

Briefly, the apparatus described in the above identlfied eta-pending application comprises a feed conveyor upon which the cartons filled with empty containers are carried past mechanisms operable successively to fold the side and end cover flaps outwardly from the caron, and next into the field of an overhead magnet which functions to suspend the containers from above and independently of carton support. A face-mounted conveyor belt travels .across the face of the magnet and 'serves to carry the containers and cartons beyond the end of the first mentioned conveyor. The carton fall. free of the containers, which are then deposited on a discharge conveyor as the face-mounted conveyor travels out :of the hem of the magnet. The apparatus is described 'in considerable detail in said co-pendrng application, a more detailed description herein bemg unnecessary to an understanding of the present mven- .tion.

In the operation of the above described apparatus, 1 have found some difhculty in carton hang up in certain installations. This trouble results in the case of tightly packed cartons which have a tendency to cling to 'the magnetically suspended containers and when a carton cocks, i. e. binds on the suspended containers. A carton which hangs up for either of these reasons is deposited with the containers on the discharge conveyor. Such hang up, even of occasional cartons, interferes with the operation of the apparatus for the accomplish- *ment of the function for which it was developed. I have now devised an improvement in the above described apparatus which functions to insure dlsengage- :ment of the cartons and containers prior to deposit of the containers on the discharge conveyor.

The invention contemplates in apparatus for removing containers from cartons and including means for suspending the containers independently of the carton, the combination comprising ejector means mounted to engage an outwardly extending flap of the carton and I urge the carton away from the suspended conta ners. In a preferred embodiment one or more such e ector means are positioned to engage each of oppositely'disposed carton flaps, conveniently the flaps lying parallel to the direction of travel of the containers across the suspending means. I have found that the balanced action achieved by oppositely mounted ejectors is of considerable importance in avoiding the tendency of the carton to cock and bind more tightly.

7 2,702,644 *Patented Feb. 22, 1955 A feature of the invention, inits preferred embodiment, is the compound motion of the ejector means which, as illustrated and hereinafter described, are so mounted and actuated that they repeatedly strike the respective carton flaps and are gradually displaced to follow the carton as it disengages from the containers to insure such disengagement.

The invention will be more .clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in :which:

Fig. l is an elevation of one form of the apparatus of the invention associated with magnetic container suspension means of the type illustrated and described in the aforementioned co-pending application;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The ejector mechanism of the invention is shown in association with uncasing apparatus of the type illustrated in the aforesaid co-pending application and which is illustrated in part in Figs. 1 and 2 for the purposes of understanding the present invention. In the apparatus, container-filled cartons are carried on a feed conveyor 10 past mechanisms (not shown) for pivoting the side and end heaps of the carton outwardly therefrom, a carton 12 with the flaps so disposedibeing shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A magnet 14 is mounted above the feed conveyor it? and so as to overhang one end of the conveyor. in the particular apparatus illustrated the magnet extends longitudinally from the conveyor although it is equally feasible to orient the magnet in any direction with respect to the conveyor. A second conveyor belt -15 is carried across the 'face of the magnet 14 and is supported on pulleys '16, '17, 18, 19.

A discharge conveyor 20 is carried over a pulley 22 located beneath the end of magnet 14 opposite the feed conveyor 10. The magnet and several conveyors together with drive mechanisms (not shown) are all mounted in a suitable framework 24, all as described in the co-pending application and forming no part of the present invention apart from its cooperative relationship thereto.

In operation, cartons filled with empty containers, and with the side and end flaps disposed outwardly of the carton, are carried by feed conveyor '10 into the field of magnet means 14, the containers being lifted from the feed conveyor 10 against the conveyor 15 traveling across the face of the magnet 14. In normal operation the carton 12, which is in no way influenced by the field of the magnet 14, drops from the suspended containers in the space intermediate feed conveyor-10 and dischar e conveyor 20. The containers free of the carton are carried across the face of the magnet 14 by the face mounted conveyor 15 and drop onto the discharge conveyor 2% as they pass out of the field of the magnet.

As mentioned above, difficulty is sometimes encountered in the case of tightly packed or cocked cartons in that such cartons have a tendency to cling to the suspended containers in their travel across the magnet and as a result impinge against or drop onto the discharge conveyor 26. The ejector means of the invention is designed specifically to avoid this difliculty and to insure that the cartons are dis-engaged from the containers within the area defined by the opposing ends of the feed and discharge conveyors. The apparatus as illustrated comprises two separate and identical ejection means 30 and 32 supported by the framework 24 adjacent the longitudinal sides of the magnet 14. The ejector 32 is shown in considerable detail in 'Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and is described with relation to those figures.

Ejector 30 is identical to the ejector 32 and description The hangers 42, 43 are in turn rotatablysupported at,

. their opposite ends. Again referring to Fig. 4, hanger 43 'is spline mounted on the inner end of a sleeve 50, the sleeve being rotatably mounted on the inner end of a fixed shaft 52. The shaft 52 is rigidly afiixed at its outer end to the framework 24 by nuts 53, 54, the latter serving 1 as a spacer between the framework 24 and a support plate 56 mounted on the shaft 52 and extending upwardly therei :from to serve as a support for additional elements of the mechanism. A cap plate 58 covers the inner ends of shaft 52, sleeve 50 'and a portion of the inner face of hanger 43. Hanger 42 is rotatably mounted at its end opposite the arm 34 in identical fashion.

A sleeve 60 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 50 outwardly from hanger 43 and carries an integral spur gear 62 in vertical alignment with the spur gear 47 and meshed therewith, and a sprocket 64 outwardly of the spur gear 62; A sprocket 66 is rigidly mounted to the sleeve 50 outwardly of the sleeve 60 and is spaced from the mounting plate 56 by a bushing 67, the arrangement beingsuch that the sprocket 66 mounted to sleeve 50 and the sprocket 64 mounted to the sleeve 60 may be independently rotated.

.A shaft 70 is rigidly mounted to the mounting plate 56 extending inwardly therefrom parallel to and above the vshaft 52. A hub 72 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 70 and isheld thereon between a spacer bushing 73 and a cap plate -74.' The. hub 72 includes an integral sprocket 76 adiacent its innerend, a second and larger integral sprocket 78 spaced toward the mounting plate 56 from the sprocket 76 and in vertical alignment with the sprocket 64 on sleeve 60, and a third smaller integral sprocket 80 adiacent the outer end of the shaft 70 and in planar alignment with the sprocket 66 on sleeve 50 and with acorresponding sprocket 66A associated with the hanger An idler sprocket 82 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 83 in planar alignment with the sprocket 80 and the sprockets 66 and 66A, the shaft 83 extending inwardly from the a mounting plate 56 above and parallel to shafts 52 and 70.

Sprocket 76 serves as a drive sprocket for the apparatus and is connected by a link chain 86 to a driven sprocket (not shown) which, in turn, is driven by the prime mover (not shown) of the apparatus. A corresponding driven sprocket 88 (see Fig. 1) furnishes the motive power for the companion eiector 30 by means of a link chain 89. A link chain 90 is carried around each of sprockets 66, 66A over the idler sprocket 82 and over :snrocket 80 which is driven responsive to rotation of drive sprocket 72 (see Fig. 3). Rotation of the sprocket 66-causes rotation of sleeve 50 and hanger 43 splined ,7 thereto'and simultaneous rotation of sprocket 66A causes rotation of hanger 42 in the same manner. Alink chain 92 is carried over sprocket 78, sprocket 64 and a corresponding sprocket associated with the hanger 42 and arm 34. Rotation of the sprocket 78 causes rotation of the sleeve 60, spur gear 62 carried thereon, spur gear 47 meshed with the spur gear 62 and resultantrota- :tion of beater arm 35 about its axis of rotational suspen- 'sion and simultaneously with its rotation about the axis of-rotational suspension of the supporting hanger 43.

5 In short, two independent systems are provided, both being driven from the drive sprocket 76, the one serving to rotate han ers 42, 43 about their respective axes of rotation and the other being operative to simultaneously .rotatebeater arms 34, 35 about their respective axes of retation and at a different rotational velocity than the rota- 1 tion of the hanger arms. The motion of the rollers 38. 39 rotatably mounted at opposite ends of beater arm 35 is shown by arrows inFi 3. The rollers 38, 39 travel in a frot'ational path about the axis of suspension of the beater arm 35 while this axis of suspension is traveling in a circularpath about the axis of rotation of the hanger 43. The motion of the ejector mechanisms is synchronized *with the operation of the uncasing apparatus by virtue l of receiving its motive power from a common prime mover and by proper selection of the several gear ratios 'so'that the beater arms are in the approximate positionshown m the solid lines in Fig. 1 as a group of containers and an 'associated'carton are carried beneath the ejecto'ri" the carton proceeds past the ejector the rotating beater arms are displaced downwardly, as shown by the dotted line position thereof, and continue to impinge at a rapid rate on the carton flaps as the carton disengages from the veyor 15traveling across the face of magnet 14, the carton associated therewith may or may not drop from the containers. If the carton drops from the containers of its own weight, the ejector. mechanism as herein described, although in operation, will have no operative effect. If, however, the cartonclings to the suspended containers, as is sometimes the case, the ejectors 30, 32, each including a pair of longitudinally spaced so-called beatertarms, Will exert a downward thrust on'the side flaps-of the carton through a vertical displacement somewhatzin-excess of the displacement between the axis-of rotation of the respective hangers and the axis of rotation-'ofassociated beater arms, the thrust being in the form of intermittent and rapid impingement of the beater 'arm supported rollers on the carton flapsr- I h As mentioned above, I have found it highly important that a balanced action be achieved to avoidcocking-the carton and to this end have provided two pairs of beaters, each pair being operative on opposite ends of one side 'flap, the corresponding heaters of each pair being in transverse alignment and the movement of all of the beatersof the two pairs being synchronous. Synchronous operation of the beaters of each pair isachieved by common actuating means, the synchronism between the pairs of beaters being achieved by identical actuating means motivated by common drive means.

Although the apparatus of the invention-has been described with relation to its use with a particular mechanism, i. e. a container uncaser, there is no such use'limitation inherent in the apparatus which may find application in many different circumstances. g Iclaim: .7. v V. 1. Apparatus for disengaging a carton from containers confined by the carton and suspended independently thereof which comprises a plurality of members positioned to engage at least one flap of the carton when the containers are so suspended and means causing said plurality of members to repeatedly impinge against said thereof which comprisesa plurality of members positioned to engage opposite flaps of the carton when the containers are so suspended and means causing said members to repeatedly impinge against said flaps.

3. Apparatus for disengaging a carton from containers confined by .the carton and suspended independently thereof which comprises a plurality of members fpositioned to engage opposite flaps of the carton whenthe containers are so suspended andmeans causing said members to' repeatedly impinge against said flaps .and separate means for causing linear displacement of said members While they are impingingagainst said flaps.

4. Apparatus for disengaging a carton from containers confined by the carton and suspended independently thereof which comprises at least two beater members positioned to engage each of opposite flaps of the carton when the containers are so suspended and means causing said members to repeatedly impinge against said flaps.

5. Apparatus for disengaging a carton from containers confined by the carton and suspended independently thereof which comprises at least two beater members positioned to engage each of opposite flaps ofthe carton when the containers are so suspended and means causing said members to repeatedly and synchronously impinge end of said hanger arm being rotatably mounted on said support shaft, and synchronous means for rotating said hanger arm and said beater arm and at different speeds so that the axis of rotation of said support arm defines a circular path while said support arm is in rotation.

7. In apparatus for removing a carton from containers confined in the carton and including magnet means positioned to suspend the containers from above independently of the carton, the combination comprising a pair of agitating members mounted adjacent each of opposite sides of the magnet means in position to engage opposite outwardly extending flaps of said carton, each agitating member comprising a support shaft adapted to be rigidly mounted above the lower face of said magnet means, a hanger rotatably mounted to the inner end of said shaft, a beater arm rotatably mounted to the depending end of said hanger with the axis of rotation of the hanger and arm being spaced apart and parallel, and synchronous means for rotating said hanger and said arm and at different speeds so that the axis of rotation of said arm defines a circular path while said arm is in rotation.

8. In apparatus for removing a carton from containers confined in the carton and including magnet means positioned to suspend the containers from above and independently of said carton, and conveyor means carried across the face of the magnet to transport the suspended containers the combination comprising separate agitating members mounted adjacent each of opposite sides of said magnet means, each of said agitating members comprising a pair of spaced parallel support shafts rigidly supported at their outer ends and projecting inwardly toward said magnet means above the plane of said conveyor, a separate hanger member rotatably mounted on the inner end of each of said shafts, a separate beater arm rotatably mounted to the depending end of each hanger to rotate about an axis intermediate its ends and parallel to the axis of hanger rotation, means operable to rotate said hangers simultaneously and synchronously, means for rotating said beater arms simultaneously with rotation of said hangers and in synchronism with each other, so that said beater arms will rotate about an axis moving in a circular path and opposite ends of each of said arms will alternately strike an outwardly extending flap of said carton through a portion of the path of said arm axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,406 Woolf May 30, 1871 606,139 Hartman June 21, 1898 1,147,896 Schroeder July 27, 1915 1,188,252 Crossland June 20, 1916 1,444,910 Goetz Feb. 13, 1923 1,995,504 Endsley Mar. 26, 1935 2,213,774 Taylor Sept. 3, 1940 2,353,736 Le Frank July 18, 1944 2,634,874 Rideout et al. Apr. 14, 1953 

